Box Score
LONG BEACH, Calif. – One final test remained on LMU water polo's schedule before focus shifted to the upcoming WWPA Championships. The #13 Lions (12-12, 5-2) traveled to #6 Long Beach State (9-11, 2-2) on Wednesday night to close out the regular season. The Beach withstood a late LMU run to win, 14-10.
LBSU scored first, but
Dayne Jagga was quick to respond on the ensuing possession, tying the score at 1-all. After The Beach scored twice in a row
Alexandros Athymaritis and
Blazo Mitrovic again had an answer, finishing back-to-back goals in a 41 second span. The home side closed out the first with the final two goals to give themselves a 5-3 advantage in a busy scoring opening period.
The Lions got one back to open the second quarter as Mitrovic scored his second of the day at the 6:48 mark. Long Beach State added two consecutive goals before
Daniel Arellano scored to make it a 7-5 deficit with 1:14 remaining until the half. LBSU added one in the final seconds to push it to a three-goal game at intermission.
The third quarter consisted of runs, as Long Beach scored the first five goals to open the quarter. LMU answered with the final two of the period as
Austin Clark converted a powerplay with 1:07 on the clock and Athymaritis scoring as time expired.
The Lions then opened the fourth with three straight goals as Mitrovic added his third and Athymaritis went back-to-back to make it a 13-10 score with 3:19 remaining. LMU was unable to continue the comeback, and LBSU added one more late, as the Lions fell 14-10 to close out the regular season.
Zach Zemliak made 10 saves for the Lions, and Athymaritis' four goals were a game-high.
The Lions have just over a week before the start of the Western Water Polo Association Championships in Fresno. LMU earned the three-seed in the conference tournament and will take on the sixth-seeded Santa Clara Broncos on Friday, November. 16 at 2:45 p.m.